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Tag: joe biden

  • White House Combats Parkinson’s Rumors

    White House Combats Parkinson’s Rumors

    President Biden’s halting debate performance on June 27 has sparked speculation that he may be suffering from symptoms of a degenerative neurological disorder like Parkinson’s. But the White House denies that Biden is being treated for Parkinson’s, or that he has been examined by a neurologist beyond his last routine physical.

    Some of that speculation has centered on White House visitor logs that show a neurologist from Walter Reed Medical Center visiting the President’s personal medical unit at the White House multiple times at the end of 2023 and early 2024.

    Dr. Kevin Cannard, an expert on treating movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, met with President Biden’s personal physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor in the White House on Jan. 17 at 5 p.m., according to visitor logs. The meeting also included Dr. John E. Atwood, a Walter Reed cardiologist, according to the records. The White House logs show Dr. Cannard also visited the residence clinic on March 28, and made six other visits over the previous several months. The entries in the logs were first reported by the New York Post.

    It is unclear if Cannard has visited the White House in recent weeks. The White House visitor logs, which the administration posts voluntarily on the White House website, show visitors through March. More recent logs have not yet been posted.

    Cannard has been a part of the broader White House medical team of doctors since 2012, according to his LinkedIn profile.

    When asked repeatedly about Cannard’s visits on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to explain why he came to the White House. Citing privacy reasons, she said she would not confirm the name of any specific doctors who visited the White House compound to treat the President. She also stressed that more than a thousand military service members are seen by the White House medical unit.

    Jean-Pierre said Biden “has seen a neurologist three times” since he became president, and those visits were during Biden’s annual physicals.

    “Is he being treated for Parkinson’s? No,” said Jean-Pierre. “Is he taking medication for Parkinson’s? No.”

    White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said that, like previous Presidents, Biden was examined by a panel of doctors with different specialities during his routine annual physicals.

    Bates also said that no examination has found that Biden shows symptoms of Parkinson’s. “We do not provide the dates on which the President is seen by the range of specialists who participate in his physical, nor their names,” Bates said. “But there have been no neurologist visits besides the one for his physical.”

    The White House published a memo from O’Connor, the President’s physician, late Monday that reiterated the details shared by Jean-Pierre and Bates. It explained that regular visits by Cannard, the neurology consultant to the White House, have been related to his work with the White House Medical Clinic that treats military personnel. Biden, meanwhile, has not seen any neurological specialists outside of his annual health exam, the memo stated. 

    The memo cited Biden’s latest exam, the results of which were published on Feb. 28, which said the President’s neurological assessment at the time was “reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or ascending lateral sclerosis.”

    —Chad de Guzman contributed reporting.

    Brian Bennett

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  • A Powerful Teachers Union Faces Charges Of ‘Union Busting’ By Its Own Staff

    A Powerful Teachers Union Faces Charges Of ‘Union Busting’ By Its Own Staff

    The largest union in the country has locked its own workers out of their jobs after they went on strike for three days, escalating an ugly contract dispute that has already involved the White House.

    Staffers at the National Education Association said they were told not to report to work at the union’s headquarters in Washington on Monday. Last week, the employees went on strike during the NEA’s annual convention in Philadelphia, prompting President Joe Biden to back out of a planned speech.

    The staff union claimed the lockout was retaliation for their Philly walkout, calling it a “dangerous” and “reactionary” move by the NEA. A lockout is a work stoppage initiated by the employer, essentially the opposite of a strike.

    “I cannot imagine it lands well that the nation’s largest union is locking out its staff union,” Robin McLean, the staff union’s president, said in a statement alleging “union busting” by the NEA. “What does that mean for a so-called labor union to treat hardworking people like this?”

    “I cannot imagine it lands well that the nation’s largest union is locking out its staff union.”

    – Robin McLean, president of the NEA staff union

    The two sides are trying to negotiate a new three-year contract addressing wages, health coverage and other benefits. And while it’s not unusual for a labor union to have tense negotiations with its own staff, it’s rare that a labor dispute reaches the point of a lockout.

    An NEA spokesperson said in an email that the union was bargaining in good faith with staffers, and accused those who went on strike of “abandoning” members by disrupting the Philadelphia assembly. The NEA argues that the staffers’ strike was not protected under the law, a point disputed by the staff union.

    “To best protect the interests of our members, the Association, and our staff, we have made the difficult decision to institute a protective lockout,” the spokesperson said.

    The plans for the lockout were first reported by Education Week.

    A demonstrator chants while picketing in support of the National Education Association Staff Organization outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center, July 5, in Philadelphia.

    Matt Slocum via Associated Press

    The NEA represents 3 million teachers, support staff employees and other workers at public schools and colleges across the country. It is a major ally of the Democratic Party, and endorsed Biden’s reelection campaign in April, calling his the “most pro-public education and pro-union administration in modern history.”

    The standoff broke into public view late last week when the White House said Biden would not be speaking in Philadelphia. Biden, who refers to himself as the most pro-union president in history, did not want to cross a picket line called by the staff union.

    The staff union alleges that the NEA is trying to “strongarm” employees into accepting a subpar deal. It recently filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming that managers unilaterally changed their working conditions and retaliated against a staff member.

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  • Four senior House Democrats say Biden should leave presidential race, sources say

    Four senior House Democrats say Biden should leave presidential race, sources say

    Washington — Several senior House Democrats said Sunday that President Biden should end his reelection campaign in the wake of his recent debate performance, multiple people tell CBS News.

    Reps. Jerry Nadler of New York, Mark Takano of California, Adam Smith of Washington and Joe Morelle of New York said Sunday during a Zoom meeting with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries that Mr. Biden should leave the race, according to a person on the call and three other people familiar with the meeting. 

    Reps. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Don Beyer of Virginia and Jamie Raskin of Maryland also expressed skepticism of the president’s electoral chances, the member on the call and a person familiar with the meeting said. 

    Beyer’s office on Sunday reaffirmed his support for Mr. Biden, despite initial reports suggesting that he was part of the group calling on the president to step aside. After news of the call was published, Beyer also issued a statement saying he supported Mr. Biden.

    “I support the Biden-Harris ticket, and look forward to helping defeat Donald Trump in November,” Beyer said. “I was proud to host an event this week in Northern Virginia with the President, and will continue doing all I can to support the Biden-Harris campaign in Virginia and across the country.”  

    CBS News has reached out to all the members who sources say either expressed reservations about the president’s chances or said he should withdraw from the race.

    A spokesperson for Jeffries declined to comment on the call. 

    Rep. Susan Wild, who represents Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, said in a statement that she “expressed the same concerns that Americans across the country are grappling with, about President Biden’s electability at the top of the ticket.” 

    “It is not helpful to the country for this difficult process to play out amidst leaks and rumors,” Wild said. “The Democratic Caucus in Congress is a very diverse group, and there are many opinions about what should next happen. For that reason, I’ve always felt it important that people are able to speak their minds in a confidential setting, so that we can all benefit from what others are thinking. In the coming days and weeks, I will operate as I always have, continuing to have these important conversations while keeping the best interests of my constituents at the forefront of every decision and statement I make.”

    Rep. Richard Neal, of Massachusetts, said in a statement, “The bottom line is President Biden beat Trump in 2020, and now, bolstered by his historic record of success, he’ll do it again in November. Trump is a lying, convicted felon who has only ever been out for himself, and the American people know that. As I shared earlier, Republicans are the biggest threat to the health of our democracy, our economy, and the people, and the President knows what’s at stake. I’m with him all the way, fighting like hell to defeat those threats.”  

    President Biden Arrives In Harrisburg For Campaign Event
    U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to disembark Air Force One as he arrives at Harrisburg International Airport on July 07, 2024 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 

    Michael M Santiago/Getty Images


    The meeting came after House Democratic leaders convened a call last week amid a slow leak of Democratic lawmakers who have called for him to step aside. On Saturday, Rep. Angie Craig, who represents a frontline district in Minnesota, became the latest House Democrat to call for the president to withdraw from the race. And the attention is expected to be on the president’s support in Congress as lawmakers return from recess this week. 

    Meanwhile, Mr. Biden has appeared defiant in recent days, making clear that he plans to stay in the race despite concern from some members of his party. When asked during an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos on Friday whether he would step down if there were calls from the party’s leaders in Congress, Mr. Biden brushed the question aside, saying “they’re not going to do that.”

    The president said he had an hour-long conversation with Jeffries and had spent “many hours” with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The president also convened a meeting at the White House with Democratic governors last week. 

    “If the Lord almighty came down and said ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race,” the president said. “The Lord almighty’s not coming down.”

    Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia has been speaking with Democratic colleagues about finding ways to convince the president to step aside and let others seek the nomination, a senator who’s been contacted by Warner told CBS News on Thursday. The senator noted at the time that there weren’t formal plans yet. 

    Fin Gómez contributed reporting.

    Ed O’Keefe


    headshot-600-ed-okeefe.jpg

    Ed O’Keefe is CBS News senior White House and political correspondent. He previously worked for The Washington Post covering presidential campaigns, Congress and federal agencies. His primary focus is on President Biden, Vice President Harris and political issues across the country.

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  • Biden says

    Biden says

    President Joe Biden says his goal is to “unite America again” during speech in Philadelphia


    President Joe Biden says his goal is to “unite America again” during speech in Philadelphia

    06:48

    PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) — President Biden said Sunday that his goal is to “unite America again” during a speech at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ in Northwest Philadelphia.

    Mr. Biden’s remarks came during the first of two stops of the day in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. After speaking in Philadelphia, the president and First Lady Jill Biden are headed to Harrisburg for an event at a local union hall.

    “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I honest to God have never been more optimistic about America’s future… if we stick together,”  the president said to the nearly 300 congregants in attendance. “We have to bring dignity and hope back in America.”

    Mr. Biden didn’t directly address the critical phase of his campaign that he is entering following a shaky debate performance that has led a handful of Democratic lawmakers to call for him to step aside. But he said he had been “called according to [God’s] purpose,” that “we’re all called to be doers,” and “I think we just have to work together.”  

    President Biden speaks during a church service in northwest Philadelphia on Sunday, July 7, 2024
    President Biden speaks during a church service in northwest Philadelphia on Sunday, July 7, 2024

    CBS Philadelphia


    Mr. Biden did joke about his age, saying that although he may look like he’s “40 years old,” he’s “been around a long time.” 

    “The bishop and I were talking about that — it’s heck turning 40,” Mr. Biden said. 

    According to CBS News reporters inside the church, the crowd started chanting “four more years” once Mr. Biden concluded his speech and returned to his seat on the stage.

    Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Philadelphia around 10 a.m. ET, where they were met at the airport by Mayor Cherelle Parker and Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, both Democrats. The president also met with Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and others throughout the day.

    President Biden with Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman
    President Biden with Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman

    CBS Philadelphia


    Mr. Biden arrived in Harrisburg on Air Force One alongside the first lady, Fetterman and his wife, Gisele. Upon arrival, the president answered one press question: Is the Democratic party behind him? To which Mr. Biden replied, “Yes.”

    The group then made its way to AFSCME, a local union hall in Harrisburg, where Mr. Biden stepped outside to speak to the crowd.

    In an off-the-cuff speech without a teleprompter, Mr. Biden told those gathered in Harrisburg that in his second term, he plans to work on fairer taxes, touching on former President Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires, which Mr. Biden has criticized throughout his campaigns and presidency.

    biden.jpg

    “The middle class built this country, not Wall Street. And guess what? Unions built the middle class,” Mr. Biden said.

     The president then handed the mic over to Fetterman, who spoke about the economy and the drastic change in the state of the country from 2020 to 2024.

    “Let’s talk about four years ago, we were all hoarding toilet paper,” he said. “We’d all be on some big Zoom right now. But we’re right here right now. Remember what that was like?” 

    Fetterman also spoke about Trump being “obsessed with revenge,” and said he believes Mr. Biden has stepped up to the plate during his presidency. 

    “Joe Biden has held every line, every line — two wars, a pandemic, look at our economy,” Fetterman said. “Our economy is the envy of the world right now.”

    Later, Mr. Biden met with Shapiro, who couldn’t attend the events earlier in the day due to “intense budget negotiations,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told CBS News. The two men paid a visit to a nearby coffee shop where the president tipped $20 and also avoided questions about the latest cease-fire deal.

    US-VOTE-POLITICS-BIDEN
    US President Joe Biden (R) visits a coffee shop with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (C) and Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams (L) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 7, 2024. Biden is back out on the campaign trail Sunday, desperate to salvage his re-election bid as senior Democrats meet to discuss growing calls that he quit the White House race. The 81-year-old Democrat kicks off a grueling week with two campaign rallies in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, before hosting the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington.

    SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images


    Mr. Biden, who most recently traveled to Philadelphia in May with Vice President Kamala Harris to launch their “Black Voters for Biden-Harris” initiative,” was originally scheduled to appear Sunday at the annual NEA conference in Philadelphia. That speech was canceled after the NEA’s union, the National Education Association Staff Organization, announced a strike and set up picket lines around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia.

    Mr. Biden, who is fighting to save his endangered reelection effort, had planned to speak at the NEA conference, but his campaign said the president is a “fierce supporter of unions and he won’t cross a picket line.” 

    The picket line effectively ended the weeklong convention, canceling the last three days of programming, the NEA said.

    The NEA, which has school employee union affiliates in every state, has endorsed Biden.

    The union announced it filed two unfair labor practice complaints over what it says is NEA’s failure to comply with basic union requirements, and is accusing the NEA of unilaterally removing holiday overtime pay and failing to provide information on outsourcing $50 million in contracts.

    In a statement, the NEA said it remained fully committed to a fair bargaining process. It also said it was “deeply concerning that misinformation has been shared” that misrepresented contract negotiations.

    Mr. Biden’s dual-city visit Sunday comes as the president works to shore up support for his reelection campaign following a shaky debate performance against Trump last month.

    According to a CBS News source, following the debate and suggestions that Mr. Biden drop out, the president told campaign staff in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t plan to leave the race. “Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can and as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running. I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” he said, according to one source.


    President Biden hits the campaign trail in Philadelphia as the debate over his candidacy continues

    02:31

    Alexandra Simon

    Alexandra Simon is a digital content producer at CBS Philadelphia. Alex started her career at CBS21 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania before joining KARE 11 News in Minneapolis, where she covered breaking news, features and often cold weather.

    Alexandra Simon

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  • Biden says

    Biden says

    President Joe Biden says his goal is to “unite America again” during speech in Philadelphia


    President Joe Biden says his goal is to “unite America again” during speech in Philadelphia

    06:48

    PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) — President Biden said Sunday that his goal is to “unite America again” during a speech at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ in Northwest Philadelphia.

    Mr. Biden’s remarks came during the first of two stops of the day in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. After speaking in Philadelphia, the president and First Lady Jill Biden are headed to Harrisburg for an event at a local union hall.

    “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I honest to God have never been more optimistic about America’s future… if we stick together,”  the president said to the nearly 300 congregants in attendance. “We have to bring dignity and hope back in America.”

    Mr. Biden didn’t directly address the critical phase of his campaign that he is entering following a shaky debate performance that has led a handful of Democratic lawmakers to call for him to step aside. But he said he had been “called according to [God’s] purpose,” that “we’re all called to be doers,” and “I think we just have to work together.”  

    President Biden speaks during a church service in northwest Philadelphia on Sunday, July 7, 2024
    President Biden speaks during a church service in northwest Philadelphia on Sunday, July 7, 2024

    CBS Philadelphia


    Mr. Biden did joke about his age, saying that although he may look like he’s “40 years old,” he’s “been around a long time.” 

    “The bishop and I were talking about that — it’s heck turning 40,” Mr. Biden said. 

    According to CBS News reporters inside the church, the crowd started chanting “four more years” once Mr. Biden concluded his speech and returned to his seat on the stage.

    Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Philadelphia around 10 a.m. ET, where they were met at the airport by Mayor Cherelle Parker and Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, both Democrats. The president also met with Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and others throughout the day.

    President Biden with Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman
    President Biden with Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman

    CBS Philadelphia


    Mr. Biden arrived in Harrisburg on Air Force One alongside the first lady, Fetterman and his wife, Gisele. Upon arrival, the president answered one press question: Is the Democratic party behind him? To which Mr. Biden replied, “Yes.”

    The group then made its way to AFSCME, a local union hall in Harrisburg, where Mr. Biden stepped outside to speak to the crowd.

    In an off-the-cuff speech without a teleprompter, Mr. Biden told those gathered in Harrisburg that in his second term, he plans to work on fairer taxes, touching on former President Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires, which Mr. Biden has criticized throughout his campaigns and presidency.

    biden.jpg

    “The middle class built this country, not Wall Street. And guess what? Unions built the middle class,” Mr. Biden said.

     The president then handed the mic over to Fetterman, who spoke about the economy and the drastic change in the state of the country from 2020 to 2024.

    “Let’s talk about four years ago, we were all hoarding toilet paper,” he said. “We’d all be on some big Zoom right now. But we’re right here right now. Remember what that was like?” 

    Fetterman also spoke about Trump being “obsessed with revenge,” and said he believes Mr. Biden has stepped up to the plate during his presidency. 

    “Joe Biden has held every line, every line — two wars, a pandemic, look at our economy,” Fetterman said. “Our economy is the envy of the world right now.”

    Later, Mr. Biden met with Shapiro, who couldn’t attend the events earlier in the day due to “intense budget negotiations,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told CBS News. The two men paid a visit to a nearby coffee shop where the president tipped $20 and also avoided questions about the latest cease-fire deal.

    US-VOTE-POLITICS-BIDEN
    US President Joe Biden (R) visits a coffee shop with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (C) and Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams (L) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 7, 2024. Biden is back out on the campaign trail Sunday, desperate to salvage his re-election bid as senior Democrats meet to discuss growing calls that he quit the White House race. The 81-year-old Democrat kicks off a grueling week with two campaign rallies in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, before hosting the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington.

    SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images


    Mr. Biden, who most recently traveled to Philadelphia in May with Vice President Kamala Harris to launch their “Black Voters for Biden-Harris” initiative,” was originally scheduled to appear Sunday at the annual NEA conference in Philadelphia. That speech was canceled after the NEA’s union, the National Education Association Staff Organization, announced a strike and set up picket lines around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia.

    Mr. Biden, who is fighting to save his endangered reelection effort, had planned to speak at the NEA conference, but his campaign said the president is a “fierce supporter of unions and he won’t cross a picket line.” 

    The picket line effectively ended the weeklong convention, canceling the last three days of programming, the NEA said.

    The NEA, which has school employee union affiliates in every state, has endorsed Biden.

    The union announced it filed two unfair labor practice complaints over what it says is NEA’s failure to comply with basic union requirements, and is accusing the NEA of unilaterally removing holiday overtime pay and failing to provide information on outsourcing $50 million in contracts.

    In a statement, the NEA said it remained fully committed to a fair bargaining process. It also said it was “deeply concerning that misinformation has been shared” that misrepresented contract negotiations.

    Mr. Biden’s dual-city visit Sunday comes as the president works to shore up support for his reelection campaign following a shaky debate performance against Trump last month.

    According to a CBS News source, following the debate and suggestions that Mr. Biden drop out, the president told campaign staff in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t plan to leave the race. “Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can and as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running. I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” he said, according to one source.


    President Biden hits the campaign trail in Philadelphia as the debate over his candidacy continues

    02:31

    Alexandra Simon

    Alexandra Simon is a digital content producer at CBS Philadelphia. Alex started her career at CBS21 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania before joining KARE 11 News in Minneapolis, where she covered breaking news, features and often cold weather.

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  • While Biden campaigns in Pennsylvania, some Democratic leaders in the House say he should step aside

    While Biden campaigns in Pennsylvania, some Democratic leaders in the House say he should step aside

    PHILADELPHIA – President Joe Biden urged his supporters to stay unified during a series of Sunday stops in critical Pennsylvania on Sunday, even as some leading congressional Democrats privately suggested it was time for him to abandon his reelection bid because of intensifying questions about whether he’s fit for another term.

    Addressing a rousing church service in front of stained glass windows bathed in sunshine at Philadelphia’s Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, the 81-year-old Biden joked, “I know I look 40” but “I’ve been doing this a long time.”

    “I, honest to God, have never been more optimistic about America’s future if we stick together,” he said.

    There and during a subsequent rally with union members in Harrisburg, Biden offered short speeches that touched on familiar topics. But he also left plenty of room for key backers to discuss standing by him. In that way, the Pennsylvania swing seemed meant to showcase support for the president from key political quarters more than proving he’s up to four more years.

    His party, though, remains deeply divided.

    As Congress prepares to resume this week, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries convened top committee lawmakers Sunday afternoon to assess their views. Several Democratic committee leaders said Biden should step aside, according to two people familiar with the meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it.

    Other top Democrats, including members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, argued just as forcefully that Biden remain the party’s choice. The conversation was wide ranging, with the committee leaders sharing various views on the situation, but there was no unanimity on what should be done, the people said.

    Biden was personally calling lawmakers through the weekend. He also joined a call with campaign surrogates and reiterated that he has no plans to leave the race. Instead, the president pledged to campaign harder going forward and to step up his political travel, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

    One Democrat the president spoke to, Sen. Alex Padilla of California, said he and others are pushing the Biden campaign to “let Joe be Joe, get him out there.”

    “I absolutely believe we can turn it around,” Padilla told The Associated Press.

    Still, at least five Democratic lawmakers have publicly called on him to abandon his reelection campaign ahead of November. Meeting this coming week in person means more chances for lawmakers to discuss concerns about Biden’s ability to withstand the remaining four months of the campaign — not to mention four more years in the White House — and true prospects of beating Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump.

    Biden’s campaign team was also calling and texting lawmakers to try to head off more potential defections, while increasingly asking high-profile Biden supporters to speak out on his behalf..

    Calls to bow out nonetheless popped up from different directions.

    Alan Clendenin, a Tampa city councilman and member of the Democratic National Committee, on Sunday called for Biden to “step aside and allow Vice President Kamala Harris to carry forward his agenda as our Democratic nominee.” Director Rob Reiner, who has helped organize glitzy Hollywood fundraisers for Biden in the past, posted on X, “It’s time for Joe Biden to step down.”

    The Democratic convention is fast approaching and Biden’s Friday interview with ABC has not convinced some who remain skeptical.

    Democratic fundraising bundler Barry Goodman, a Michigan attorney, said he’s backing Biden but, should he step aside, he’d throw his support to Harris. That’s notable since Goodman was also a finance co-chairman for both of the statewide campaigns of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has also been mentioned as a top-of-the-ticket alternative.

    “We don’t have much time,” Goodman said. “I don’t think the president gets out. But if he does, I think it would be Kamala.”

    There was no such suggestion at Mount Airy, where Pastor Louis Felton likened the president to Joseph and the biblical story of his “coat of many colors.” In it, Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers, only eventually tp obtain a high place in the kingdom of the pharaoh and have his brothers beg him for assistance without initially recognizing him.

    “Never count Joseph out,” Felton implored. Then, referring to Democrats who have called on Biden to step aside, he added, “That’s what’s going on, Mr. President. People are jealous of you. Jealous of your stick-to-itiveness, jealous of your favor. Jealous of God’s hand upon your life.”

    Felton also led a prayer where he said, “Our president gets discouraged. But today, through your holy spirit, renew his mind, renew his spirt, renew his body.”

    After the church service, Biden visited a campaign office in Philadelphia, where Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who won a tough 2022 race while recovering from a stroke, offered a forceful endorsement.

    “There is only one guy that has ever beaten Trump,” Fetterman said. “And he is going to do it twice and put him down for good.”

    Later stepping off Air Force One in Harrisburg, the president was asked if the Democratic Party was behind him and emphatically responded, “Yes.”

    Joining him at the union event, Rep. Madeleine Dean, also a Pennsylvania Democrat, said that “democracy is on the line. There’s one man who understands it it’s Joe Biden.”

    Isabel Afonso, who saw Biden speak in Harrisburg, said she was worried when she saw the president’s debate performance, but doesn’t think he should drop out of the race and that he can still win. “I know he is old, but I know if something happens to him, a reasonable person will replace him,” said Afonso, 63.

    Still, others aren’t fully convinced.

    Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told CNN that Biden “needs to answer those questions that voters have” while adding, “If he does that this week, I think he will be in a very good position.”

    Biden has rejected undergoing independent cognitive testing, arguing that the everyday rigors of the presidency were proof enough of his mental acuity. Still, California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff told NBC on Sunday that he’d be “happy if both the president and Donald Trump took a cognitive test.”

    As some Democrats have done, Schiff also seized on Biden suggesting during the ABC interview that losing to Trump would be acceptable “as long as I give it my all.”

    “This is not just about whether he gave it the best college try,” Schiff said “but rather whether he made the right decision to run or to pass the torch.”

    —-

    Weissert and Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Michelle Price in New York, Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, and Bill Barrow in New Orleans contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Colleen Long And Will Weissert, Associated Press

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  • Biden campaign enters critical phase as Capitol Hill returns:

    Biden campaign enters critical phase as Capitol Hill returns:

    Biden campaign enters critical phase as Capitol Hill returns: “Fear is contagious” – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes tells “Face the Nation” that the upcoming week — when Capitol Hill lawmakers return after the July 4th holiday — will be critical for President Biden’s reelection. “Any time they’re all in one place together, they talk, they meet, they feed off of each other. Fear is contagious,” she said.

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  • Biden’s border order gets bipartisan disapproval

    Biden’s border order gets bipartisan disapproval

    In April, Axios reported that President Joe Biden was planning “to issue an executive order to dramatically limit the number of asylum-seekers who can cross the southern border” in an attempt to “stem illegal border crossings.” The Biden administration announced sweeping asylum restrictions in early June, but the move immediately drew backlash from both immigrant advocates and border hawks.

    “The entry of any noncitizen into the United States across the southern border is hereby suspended and limited,” said Biden’s order. When border encounters between ports of entry hit a daily average of 2,500 over a seven-day period, migrants will be barred from seeking asylum unless they qualify for a narrow exception or request an appointment at a port of entry through an app (a glitchy and cumbersome process). Restrictions will lift 14 days after daily encounters between ports of entry fall below 1,500 per day on average over a seven-day period.

    Border crossings have fallen recently, but it’s been years since they were as low as Biden’s order would demand for asylum processing to resume. And like many of Biden’s actions on the border, the order has satisfied basically nobody.

    The International Refugee Assistance Project called it and other restrictive measures “a remarkable capitulation by the Biden administration to xenophobic politicians who thrive on fear-mongering and scapegoating immigrant communities.” Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, said the action would be “only a Band-Aid without action from Congress.” Several Democratic lawmakers expressed similar concerns, and the American Civil Liberties Union has sued Biden over the order.

    Restrictionists, meanwhile, criticized Biden’s intent and timing. “It’s window dressing,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R–La.) of the “weak” order. “Everybody knows that if he was concerned about the border, he would have done this a long time ago.” Sen. Ted Cruz (R–Texas) claimed the order “is about the Biden administration trying to give themselves political cover” before the presidential election. “The executive order will still allow thousands of illegal aliens to come across the border per day. That’s absurd.”

    The order will have a very real and negative impact on migrants. Border measures like this push sufficiently desperate migrants into more remote, dangerous, and deadly crossing corridors—or, for those who choose to wait for restrictions to lift, into tent cities along the border where they may experience rape, torture, or kidnapping.

    Biden has embraced some effective policies at the border, including sponsorship programs that let private citizens welcome refugees and other migrants. Those initiatives have been successful in reducing unauthorized migration among eligible nationalities. That’s because they acknowledge a simple fact: Cracking down on migrants does nothing to address their demand for a safe immigration pathway and the opportunity to work.

    The administration’s asylum restrictions deny that fact and will have unintended consequences, likely contribute to border chaos, and—most certain of all—fail to make anyone happy.

    Fiona Harrigan

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  • To a defiant Biden, the 2024 race is up to the voters, not to Democrats on Capitol Hill

    To a defiant Biden, the 2024 race is up to the voters, not to Democrats on Capitol Hill

    WILMINGTON, Del. – To a defiant President Joe Biden, the 2024 election is up to the public — not the Democrats on Capitol Hill. But the chorus of Democratic voices calling for him to step aside is growing, from donors, strategists, lawmakers and their constituents who say he should bow out.

    The party has not fallen in line behind him even after the events that were set up as part of a blitz to reset his imperiled campaign and show everyone he wasn’t too old to stay in the job or to do it another four years.

    On Saturday, a fifth Democratic lawmaker said openly that Biden should not run again. Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota said that after what she saw and heard in the debate with Republican rival Donald Trump, and Biden’s “lack of a forceful response” afterward, he should step aside “and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward.”

    Craig posted one of the Democrats’ key suburban wins in the 2018 midterms and could be a barometer for districts that were vital for Biden in 2020.

    With the Democratic convention approaching and just four months to Election Day, neither camp in the party can much afford this internecine drama much longer. But it is bound to drag on until Biden steps aside or Democrats realize he won’t and learn to contain their concerns about the president’s chances against Trump.

    There were signs party leaders realize the standoff needs to end. Some of the most senior lawmakers, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Rep. James Clyburn, were now publicly working to bring the party back to the president. Pelosi and Clyburn had both raised pointed questions about Biden in the aftermath of the debate.

    “Biden is who our country needs,” Clyburn said late Friday after Biden’s interview with ABC aired.

    On Saturday, Biden’s campaign said the president joined a biweekly meeting with all 10 of the campaign’s nation co-chairs to “discuss their shared commitment to winning the 2024 race.” Clyburn was among them.

    But the silence from most other House Democrats on Saturday was notable, suggesting that lawmakers are not all being convinced by what they saw from the president. More House Democrats are likely to call for Biden to step aside when lawmakers return to Washington at the start of the week.

    Biden had no public schedule Saturday, as he and aides stepped back from the fervor over the past few days. But the president will head out campaigning again on Sunday in Philadelphia, intent on putting the debate behind him. And this coming week, the U.S. is hosting the NATO summit and the president is to hold a news conference.

    Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned Saturday in New Orleans, but she steered clear of questions about whether Biden should step away.

    The president’s ABC interview on Friday night — billed as an effort to get the campaign back on track — stirred carefully worded expressions of disappointment from the party’s ranks, and worse from those who spoke anonymously. Ten days into the crisis moment of the Biden-Trump debate, Biden is dug in.

    Even within the White House there were concerns the ABC interview wasn’t enough to turn the page.

    Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez has been texting lawmakers and administration officials are encouraging them not to go public with their concerns about the race and the president’s electability, according to a Democrat granted anonymity to discuss the situation.

    Democrats are wrestling over what they see and hear from the president but are not at all certain about a path forward. They were particularly concerned that Biden suggested that even if he were to be defeated in a rematch with Trump, he would know that he gave it his all. That seemed an insufficient response.

    “A lot can change in the next 72 to 96 hours, because that’s what happens nowadays,” Hawaii Gov. Mark Green said Saturday. “You know, four months is an eternity in today’s political world. I’m not worried about making sure we have a great ticket if the president chose some other road.”

    But Green said he also wants to “respect the president and give him the time to make this decision. And if he decides to be our nominee, he’s it. And we’ll go all in against Mr. Trump because he doesn’t represent the right values for our people.”

    As Biden’s camp encourages House lawmakers to give the president the chance to show what he can do, one Democratic aide said the Friday interview didn’t help and in fact made things worse. The aide expects more Democrats will likely be calling on Biden to step aside.

    Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, without breaking with Biden at this point, are pulling together meetings with members in the next few days to discuss options. Many lawmakers are hearing from constituents at home and fielding questions. One senator was working to get others together to ask him to step aside.

    Following the interview, a Democratic donor reported that many of the fellow donors he spoke with were furious, particularly because the president declined to acknowledge the effects of his aging. Many of those donors are seeking a change in leadership at the top of the ticket, said the person, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

    Biden roundly swatted away calls Friday to step away from the race, telling voters at a Wisconsin rally, reporters outside Air Force One and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he was not going anywhere.

    “Completely ruling that out,” he told reporters at the rally.

    Biden dismissed those who were calling for his ouster, instead saying he’d spoken with 20 lawmakers and they had all encouraged him to stay in the race.

    Concern about Biden’s fitness for another four years has been persistent. In an August 2023 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, fully 77% of U.S. adults said Biden was too old to be effective for four more years. Not only did 89% of Republicans say that, but so did 69% of Democrats. His approval rating stands at 39% in the most recent AP-NORC poll.

    Biden has dismissed the polling, citing as evidence his 2020 surge to the nomination and win over Trump, after initially faltering, and the 2022 midterm elections, when many expected Republicans would sweep but they didn’t, in part over the issue of abortion rights.

    “I don’t buy that,” when he was reminded that he was behind in recent polls. “I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me.”

    At times, Biden rambled during the interview, which ABC said aired in full and without edits. Asked how he might turn the race around, Biden argued that one key would be large and energetic rallies like the one he held Friday in Wisconsin. When reminded that Trump routinely draws larger crowds, the president laid into his opponent.

    “Trump is a pathological liar,” Biden said, accusing Trump of bungling the federal response to the COVID pandemic and failing to create jobs. “You ever see something that Trump did that benefited someone else and not him?”

    Republicans, though, are squarely behind their candidate, and support for Trump, who at 78 is three years younger than Biden, has been growing.

    And that’s despite Trump’s 34 felony convictions in a hush money trial, that he was found liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, and that his businesses were found to have engaged in fraud.

    ___

    Miller and Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Saugatuck, Michigan, Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Bill Barrow in New Orleans and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Colleen Long, Zeke Miller And Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press

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  • Trump tries to distance himself from Project 2025 after conservative official calls for 2nd American Revolution

    Trump tries to distance himself from Project 2025 after conservative official calls for 2nd American Revolution

    MIAMI – Donald Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, a massive proposed overhaul of the federal government drafted by longtime allies and former officials in his administration, days after the head of the think tank responsible for the program suggested there would be a second American Revolution.

    “I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump posted on his social media website. “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”

    The 922-page plan outlines a dramatic expansion of presidential power and a plan to fire as many as 50,000 government workers to replace them with Trump loyalists. President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has worked to draw more attention to the agenda, particularly as Biden tries to keep fellow Democrats on board after his disastrous debate.

    “He’s trying to hide his connections to his allies’ extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Biden said of Trump in a statement released by his campaign Saturday. “The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American.”

    Trump has outlined his own plans to remake the government if he wins a second term, including staging the largest deportation operation in U.S. history and imposing tariffs on potentially all imports. His campaign has previously warned outside allies not to presume to speak for the former president and suggested their transition-in-waiting efforts were unhelpful.

    Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast Tuesday that Republicans are “in the process of taking this country back.” Former U.S. Rep. Dave Brat of Virginia hosted the show for Bannon, who is serving a four-month prison term.

    “We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Roberts said.

    Those comments were widely circulated online and assailed by Biden’s campaign, which accused Trump and his allies of “dreaming of a violent revolution to destroy the very idea of America.”

    Some of the people involved in Project 2025 are former senior administration officials. The project’s director is Paul Dans, who served as chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management under Trump. Trump’s campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt was featured in one of Project 2025’s videos.

    John McEntee, a former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office in the Trump administration, is a senior adviser. McEntee told the conservative news site The Daily Wire earlier this year that Project 2025’s team would integrate a lot of its work with the campaign after the summer when Trump would announce his transition team.

    Trump’s comments on Project 2025 come before the Republican Party’s meetings this coming week to begin to draft its party platform.

    Project 2025 has been preparing its own 180-day agenda for the next administration that it plans to share privately, rather than as part of its public-facing book of priorities for a Republican president. A key Trump ally, Russ Vought, who contributed to Project 2025 and is drafting this final pillar, is also on the Republican National Committee’s platform writing committee.

    Project 2025 said in a statement it not tied to a specific candidate or campaign.

    “We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president,” it said. “But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement.”

    A Biden campaign spokesperson said Project 2025 staff members are also leading the Republican policy platform. “Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump’s second term that should scare the hell out of the American people,” said Ammar Moussa.

    On Thursday, as the country celebrated Independence Day and Biden prepared for his television interview after his halting debate performance, the president’s campaign posted on X a shot from the dystopian TV drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” showing a group of women in the show’s red dresses and white hats standing in formation by a reflecting pool with a cross at the far end where the Washington Monument should be. The story revolves around women who are stripped of their identities and forced to give birth to children for other couples in a totalitarian regime.

    “Fourth of July under Trump’s Project 2025,” the post said.

    ___

    Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Adriana Gomez Licon, Associated Press

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  • Playing In Our Faces: Donald Trump Tries To Distance Himself From #Project2025 Backlash — ‘I Know Nothing’

    Playing In Our Faces: Donald Trump Tries To Distance Himself From #Project2025 Backlash — ‘I Know Nothing’

    Source: The Washington Post / Getty

    Donald Trump questionably claims he’s an expert on everything else, but now he expects us to believe he has “no knowledge” of Project 2025 and its oppressive plans to give him unprecedented power as president. After the plan, directed by Trump’s former chief of staff, exploded online, that would make him the last person in the country to hear about it. 

    In his Philly campaign rally speech, Trump stated, “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying, and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.”

    According to AP News, he posted a statement distancing himself from Project 2025 on his social media website. “Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”

    Wish them luck? PLEASE.

    Project 2025: The Drastic Plan Trump “Doesn’t Know About”

    Let’s break down what Trump is desperately trying to distance himself from. Project 2025 is a 922-page plan that proposes a massive expansion of presidential power. The project includes but isn’t limited to: 

    • firing up to 50,000 government workers to replace them with Trump loyalists (JUST SICK)
    • National abortions ban
    • Birth control, IVF, and STD Testing restrictions
    • Patient Data exposure
    • Eliminating the Department of Education and free school lunch programs
    • Enforcing Christian principles
    • Removing Environmental Protection Agency and protections for endangered species
    • Implementing tax policies that benefit the wealthy
    • Weaken unions and workplace safety regulations
    • End FBI efforts to combat disinformation
    • Repeal Acts for Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Fair Housing
    • End gender equality protections
    • Getting rid of DEI workers and training programs
    • Criminalizing LGBTQ+ rights and homelessness
    • Using the U.S. military against the U.S. citizens

    Yet Trump would have us believe he’s completely in the dark about it. It’s hard to swallow, especially given his past authoritarian actions and statements.

    The Social Media Firestorm

    What’s really pushed Trump into this awkward denial is the social media uproar. Project 2025 has been trending online and on television screens. As BOSSIP previously covered, celebrities such as Taraji P. Henson are taking part in the activism against it.

    Taraji didn’t hold back at the BET Awards, calling the oppressive overthrow of the government for what it is. Her bold move has put even more pressure on Trump and spread awareness of the initiative. Now, he’s backtracking and expecting us to fall for it despite his party’s track record of calling for these extremist policies.

    Trump can try to address the elephant in the room, but his response is far from convincing.

    Trump’s Ties to Project 2025 Figures

    The key players behind Project 2025 are all Trump insiders:

    • Paul Dans, the project’s director, was a former chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management under Trump.
    • John McEntee, a senior adviser, was the director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office.
    • Russ Vought, a significant contributor, is on the Republican National Committee’s platform writing committee.

    With such close ties, Trump’s denial is more than just suspicious; it’s strategic.

    Conservative Leaders’ Radical Agenda

    Conservative leaders are openly declaring their revolutionary intentions to drag the U.S. back to the 1800s.

    AP News states that Kevin Roberts, Heritage Foundation President, declared on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, “We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

    With over 110 conservative groups involved, they’re pushing policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president. This isn’t just about Trump; it’s a full-blown attempt to reshape America.

    Trump’s Extreme Agenda

    Even if he’s trying to sidestep Project 2025, Trump’s own plans are still alarming. Research shows that he’s gearing up for a massive deportation operation and wants to potentially tariff all imports if he gets a second term.

    These proposals, when combined with Project 2025, paint a chilling picture of the future. It’s devastating enough that his SCOTUS picks have lifetime control over our laws and seemingly use it to dismantle more civil rights by the day.

    Trump’s campaign has previously warned outside allies not to speak for him, yet Karoline Leavitt, a campaign spokeswoman, has been featured in Project 2025’s videos. The hypocrisy is staggering.

    It’s as if they want to distance themselves while simultaneously keeping the radical base riled up. Talk about having your cake and eating it, too. 

    Democrats Sound the Alarm

    The Democratic response has been fierce. The Biden campaign has slammed Project 2025 as a “violent revolution to destroy the very idea of America.”

    AP found that Ammar Moussa from the Biden campaign described it as an “extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump’s second term that should scare the hell out of the American people.”

    On Independence Day, the Biden campaign posted a dystopian image from “The Handmaid’s Tale” on X, captioned, “Fourth of July under Trump’s Project 2025.”

    It’s a clear warning about the dangerous path ahead. 

    What’s Next?

    Trump’s comments come as the Republican Party prepares to draft its party platform, and Project 2025 is gearing up to share a 180-day agenda for the next administration privately.

    As these developments unfold, the American public must stay alert and informed. Trump’s denial might be a tactical move, but the implications of Project 2025 are too significant and dangerous to ignore. 

    This isn’t just about political maneuvering; it’s about the future of our democracy and lives.

    Lauryn Bass

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  • President Biden will speak at Philly church on Sunday after canceling teachers union speech

    President Biden will speak at Philly church on Sunday after canceling teachers union speech

    President Joe Biden has new plans to speak at a predominantly Black church in Philadelphia on Sunday after his reelection campaign canceled initial plans elsewhere.

    The campaign said that Biden will give remarks after Sunday services in the morning, though it did not specify which church or what time the speech will take place. In the afternoon, Biden will then travel to the Harrisburg area for an ice cream social at a Biden-Harris campaign office.

    MORE: Wharton State Forest wildfire in South Jersey is 60% contained, says fire service

    Biden was originally going to speak at the National Education Association’s annual conference, pulling out because the union representing NEA’s staffers declared a strike. NEASO, the staff union, is picketing outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the NEA has halted its remaining programming.

    Sunday’s campaign stop comes at a crucial time for Biden, who is facing calls from within his own party to drop out from the presidential race after a highly criticized debate performance on June 27. 

    On Friday, Biden appeared in Madison, Wisconsin, telling the crowd at a campaign speech that he would not step down. Also that night, ABC News aired an interview with Biden, with George Stephanopoulos asking the president questions about his age, cognitive ability and polling against former President Donald Trump.

    Speaking to Stephanopoulos, Biden characterized the debate as a “bad night” and had a “really bad cold,” and that his poor performance was “nobody’s fault” but his own. As to what would convince him to stand aside from the race, Biden said only “the Lord Almighty” could do so.

    As of Saturday morning, five Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have called for Biden to exit the race.

    Biden has campaigned in Philadelphia several times for the 2024 presidential race, most recently at Girard College in May with Vice President Kamala Harris in an effort to court Black voters. Recently, Trump made a speech at Temple University on June 22.

    Chris Compendio

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  • If The “Lord Almighty” Tells Biden To Step Down, He Will

    If The “Lord Almighty” Tells Biden To Step Down, He Will

    In a 22-minute interview on Friday night, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos sat down with President Joe Biden, giving him the opportunity to answer some of voters’ most pressing questions: What happened at the debate and, at the age of 81, is Biden cognitively sound enough to lead this country?

    Their conversation, which was filmed in Madison, Wisconsin, comes just over a week after Biden and former president Donald Trump faced off in Atlanta at the first presidential debate of the election season. In the immediate aftermath of the event—which included a hoarse and meandering Biden, a slew of lies from Trump, and a lack of fact-checking from the CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash—Democrats across the country have been agonizing on television, in opinion pages, and in closed-door meetings about whether or not Biden should be on the ticket come November.

    Stephanopoulos didn’t waste any time before asking about Biden’s performance in Atlanta. After a brief thanks shared between the two men, a reunion of their 2020 town hall conversation, he began, “Let’s start with the debate. You and your team said, have said you had a bad night.”

    “Sure did,” Biden said with a smile, noting that he doesn’t think he’s watched it back fully.

    Biden said his bad night was because “I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing.” Throughout the interview, Biden repeatedly said that the debate was “Nobody’s fault but mine,” “nobody’s fault, mine,” “my fault, no one else’s fault, no one else’s fault.”

    “Have you convinced yourself that only you can defeat him?” Stephanopoulos asked, after Biden detailed the Trump campaign’s ambitions for the future—many of which are outlined in the GOP’s playbook Project 2025.

    “I convinced myself of two things. I’m the most qualified person to beat him, and I know how to get things done,” Biden responded.

    “If you can be convinced that you cannot defeat Donald Trump, will you stand down?” Stephanopoulos pressed.

    Biden laughed, smiled wide, and said: “If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that,” later adding, “The Lord Almighty’s not comin’ down. I mean, these hypotheticals, George.”

    “It’s not that hypothetical anymore,” Stephanopoulos responded.

    On Saturday morning, Minnesota Representative Angie Craig became the fifth House Democrat (and the first battleground House Democrat) to call for Biden to withdraw. Craig joins Representatives Mike Quigley from Illinois, Lloyd Doggett from Texas, Raúl Grijalva from Arizona, and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts.

    “I have great respect for President Biden’s decades of service to our nation and his steadfast commitment to making our country a better place,” Craig’s statement reads. “However, given what I saw and heard from the President during last week’s debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the President himself following that debate, I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump.”

    “If we truly believe that Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans must be stopped,” she continued, “there is only a small window left to make sure we have a candidate best equipped to make the case and win. This future of our country is bigger than any one of us. It’s up to the President from here.”

    Virginia Senator Mark Warner, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, has also approached Senate Democrats to plan a meeting on Biden’s future as the party’s presidential nominee.

    “Well, Mark is a good man,” Biden said when Stephanopoulos brought up the senator’s plan. “Mark and I have a different perspective. I respect him.”

    When repeatedly asked if Biden would be willing to undergo an independent medical evaluation, that includes neurological and cognitive tests, and release the results to the American people, Biden dodged the question, saying, “I have a cognitive test every single day. Every day I have that test. Everything I do.” “I’m running the world,” he continued, “sounds like hyperbole, but we are the essential nation of the world.”

    Katie Herchenroeder

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  • Rep. Angie Craig calls on Biden to drop out of 2024 presidential race

    Rep. Angie Craig calls on Biden to drop out of 2024 presidential race

    Biden sits for first interview since debate


    Biden sits down for first interview since debate, says he will not drop out

    04:16

    EAGAN, Minn. — Rep. Angie Craig is calling on President Joe Biden to end his campaign for a second term after his shaky debate performance earlier this week and what she called a “lack of a forceful response.”

    “This is not a decision I’ve come to lightly, but there is simply too much at stake to risk a second Donald Trump presidency,” Craig said in a statement Saturday morning. “That’s why I respectfully call on President Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee for a second term as President and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward.”

    Craig — who represents Minnesota’s Second Congressional District that encompasses the southern portion of the Twin Cities metro and communities such as Lakeville, Eagan, and Northfield — is one of a handful of representatives to call on Biden to step aside. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first Democratic lawmaker to call on Biden to drop out of the race in the wake of his debate performance. 

    “I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump,” Craig wrote. “If we truly believe that Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans must be stopped, there is only a small window left to make sure we have a candidate best equipped to make the case and win. This future of our country is bigger than any one of us. It’s up to the President from here.”

    Biden, however, has vowed that he will stay in the race.

    On Wednesday evening Biden met with a coalition of Democratic governors to quell their concerns following his lackluster debate performance. Afterwards, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota said he was “fit for office,” and pledged his support.

    Biden made a campaign stop in the battleground state of Wisconsin on Friday, and reiterated that he won’t be forced out as the Democratic presidential nominee. In an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, he declined to agree to an independent neurological assessment, and said the only thing that could persuade him he could lose to former President Donald Trump is if the “Lord Almighty” came down and told him so.

    This is a developing story. Check back with WCCO.com for more.

    Aki Nace

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  • Biden sits down for first interview since debate, says he will not drop out

    Biden sits down for first interview since debate, says he will not drop out

    Biden sits down for first interview since debate, says he will not drop out – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    President Biden joined ABC News for his first interview since last week’s presidential debate. He said that he thinks no one else is more qualified to run and said he would not drop out of the race, despite mounting pressure about his age and capability.

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  • What Happened in Biden’s High-Stakes ABC Interview?

    What Happened in Biden’s High-Stakes ABC Interview?

    This section of the interview focused on the widely reported concerns about Biden’s capacity to be a winning candidate, and his current standing in the race — and the president’s answer is unlikely to assuage those concerns. From the transcript (video of the exchange here):

    GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: If you are told reliably from your allies, from your friends and supporters in the Democratic Party in the House and the Senate that they’re concerned you’re gonna lose the House and the Senate if you stay in, what will you do?

    PRESIDENT BIDEN: I’m not gonna answer that question. It’s not gonna happen.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: What’s your plan to turn the campaign around?

    BIDEN: You saw it today. How many– how many people draw crowds like I did today? Find me more enthusiastic than today? Huh?

    STEPHANOPOULOS: I mean, have– I don’t think you wanna play the crowd game. Donald Trump can draw big crowds. There’s no question about that.

    BIDEN: He can draw a big crowd, but what does he say? Who– who does he have? I’m the guy supposedly in trouble. We raised $38 million within four days after this. We have over a million individual contributors, individual contributors. That– that’s less than 200 bucks. We have– I mean, I’ve not seen what you’re proposing.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: You haven’t seen the fall-off in the polls? You haven’t seen the reports of discontent in the Democratic Party, House Democrats, Senate Democrats?

    BIDEN: I’ve seen it from the press.

    STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, I’ve heard from dozens of your supporters over the last few days, and a variety of views, I grant you that. But the prevailing sentiment is this. They love you, and they will be forever grateful to you for defeating Donald Trump in 2020. They think you’ve done a great job as President, a lot of the successes you outlined. But they are worried about you and the country. And they don’t think you can win. They want you to go with grace, and they will cheer you if you do. What do you say to that?

    BIDEN: I say the vast majority are not where that– those folks are. I don’t doubt there are some folks there. Have you ever seen a group– a time when elected officials running for office aren’t little worried? Have you ever seen that? I’ve not. Same thing happened in 2020. “Oh, Biden, I don’t know. Man, what’s he gonna do? He may bring me down, he may…”

    STEPHANOPOULOS: Mr. President, I’ve never seen a President with 36 percent approval get reelected.

    BIDEN: Well, I don’t believe that’s my approval rating. That’s not what our polls show.

    Chas Danner

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  • Biden insists beyond all reason that he’s the most qualified person to be president

    Biden insists beyond all reason that he’s the most qualified person to be president

    President Joe Biden defiantly insisted in an interview tonight with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos that he was the best and most-qualified qualified to run the country and beat Donald Trump.

    “I just had a bad night,” Biden repeatedly insisted as Stephanopoulos pressed him on voters’ concerns about his mental and physical state following his disastrous debate performance against his Republican rival, former president Donald Trump.

    Biden also refused to give a straight answer when Stephanopoulos asked him if he’d commit to taking an independent medical evaluation and releasing the results to the public.

    “Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,” Biden responded. “Everything I do. Not only am I campaigning but I’m running the world.”

    The interview was the Biden reelection campaign’s attempt to blunt the damage from the debate debacle, which has led to rising panic inside the Democratic Party about Biden’s viability as a candidate. The New York Times reported this evening, shortly before the interview, that Sen. Mark Warner (D–Va.) is meeting with other Senate Democrats next week to discuss concerns about Biden.

    In the immediate aftermath of the debate, Biden’s team offered a litany of excuses for his performance: jet lag, a packed schedule, a cold. Biden, too, cited his travel schedule and a nasty cold.

    “[The doctor] just looked at me and said, ‘You’re exhausted,’” Biden told Stephanopoulos.

    But Biden’s debate performance was so bad that it shook even the president’s staunchest defenders in the media, who had thus far dutifully ignored Biden’s advancing age. And it pierced “operation bubblewrap,” the name White House insiders reportedly gave to their efforts to carefully manage Biden’s public appearances to avoid senior moments.

    Biden offered himself to voters in 2020 as a “transition candidate” and “a bridge” for younger Democratic leaders, but when it came time to gracefully bow out, he instead insisted on remaining in power, much like the rest of the entrenched gerontocracy in both major parties.

    However, if Biden’s interview with Stephanopoulos was supposed to calm voters and show them the feisty Scranton Joe of yore, the problem was it was asking viewers to believe something their own eyes and a bare amount of reason would reveal as false: that 81-year-old Joe Biden is really the most-qualified person in the country right now to be president.

    “Do you dispute that there have been more lapses, especially in the last several months?” Stephanopoulos asked.

    “Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But I’m still in good shape,” Biden said.

    “Are you more frail?” Stephanopoulos followed up.

    “No,” Biden said.

    As Reason‘s Matt Welch wrote this March, before Biden’s debate flop, “For many of us who have watched old-age decline up close, the White House and media insistence that there’s nothing to see here amounts to brazen gaslighting, deepening a distrust for all things establishment.”

    But by all indications, the gaslighting will continue. When Biden was asked what it would take to convince him that he couldn’t beat Trump, he said that it would take no less than a personal message from God, the alpha and the omega, the prime mover of the universe.

    “It depends on if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that,” Biden said.

    C.J. Ciaramella

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  • Biden set for pivotal 24 hours with primetime interview

    Biden set for pivotal 24 hours with primetime interview

    Biden set for pivotal 24 hours with primetime interview – CBS News


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    President Biden is set for a make-or-break weekend for his political future as his reelection campaign tries to hit reset following last week’s disastrous debate. Biden again vowed to stay in the race Friday at a campaign rally in the battleground state of Wisconsin, and will sit down for a primetime interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News. Scott MacFarlane has the latest.

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  • Jill Biden’s Net Worth Shows What She Really Earns as First Lady Compared To Joe

    Jill Biden’s Net Worth Shows What She Really Earns as First Lady Compared To Joe

    Jill Biden is always right by her husband’s side. Of course, she’s the wife of the President of The United States, but she’s always been a self-starter and tries to help out whenever she can as an educator. That’s why her net worth is impressive compared to many other First Ladies.

    Dr. Jill Biden met Joe Biden after she was set up on a blind date by a friend, and it took some time before the two settled down. Both Jill and Joe were married before—Joe’s wife Nellia died in a car crash while Jill divorced her husband Bill Stevenson. Joe revealed he proposed five times before she finally accepted. “You have to remember I mean it wasn’t just my heart that was on the line, with Beau and Hunter, I knew that if we were gonna get married, it had to work, it had to be forever because they had already lost their mother and sister in a car accident and I knew that they couldn’t lose someone else in their life. So here we are, it is forever, it is 48 years later,” she told Meet Cutes NYC. The two married in 1977 and raised three children: her stepchildren Beau and Hunter, and their daughter Ashley.

    Related: How Joe Biden’s Net Worth Compares To Past Presidents Like Trump

    Jill has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Delaware and master’s degrees in education and English from West Chester University and Villanova University. She later went back to the University of Delaware for a doctoral degree in education. From 1993 to 2008, Jill taught at Delaware Technical & Community College, but stopped after she became the Second Lady of The United States. After resuming her teaching job, she became the first wife of a sitting U.S. president to hold a paying job outside the White House.

    What is Jill Biden’s net worth?

    Jill Biden’s net worth is about $9 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. Her net worth compared to her husband Joe Biden is about the same at $10 million, according to Forbes. The finance news site also reported that First Lady Jill Biden receives a $250,000 pension and an annuity in addition to some cash.

    What is Jill Biden’s Salary?

    In their joint 2024 tax returns, Jill Biden earned $85,985 from her job teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College. The couple’s additional income was drawn from interest on investments, pensions, and a corporate entity that collects the couple’s book royalties. In comparison, President Joe Biden earns $400,000 annually for being president.

    Jill Biden wrote two books: Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops based on her stepson Beau’s military deployment, and her memoir, Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself.

    Their 2023 tax return also showed that Biden donated $20,477 to charity, roughly 3.3% of their income. Compared to 2022, the Bidens’ gross income was $579,514. They paid $169,820 in combined federal, Delaware, and Virginia income taxes. 

    Lea Veloso

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  • Va. senator reportedly organizing group to ask Biden to leave presidential race – WTOP News

    Va. senator reportedly organizing group to ask Biden to leave presidential race – WTOP News

    Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is reportedly trying to get a group of fellow Democratic senators to meet with President Joe Biden and urge him to get out of the race for the White House.

    For all the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.

    Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is reportedly trying to get a group of fellow Democratic senators to meet with President Joe Biden and urge him to get out of the race for the White House.

    The Washington Post first reported that Warner has told other lawmakers he no longer believes the president can sustain a successful campaign, in the wake of last week’s dismal debate performance.

    Warner spokeswoman Rachel Cohen declined to confirm or deny Warner’s plans.

    “Like many other people in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the president’s campaign, and he has made that clear to the White House,” she said in a statement to The Washington Post.

    Warner, a moderate Democrat, has a history of working with other senators to get groups together to address major issues.

    The future of Biden’s campaign is a huge issue for congressional Democrats.

    Some House Democrats have publicly called for the president to step aside, and many others remain worried that he could become a drag on congressional races.

    Democrats are trying to defend a difficult election map in the U.S. Senate, where they hold a two-vote majority.

    Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who’s in a competitive race for reelection, did not appear with the president during his campaign stop on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin.

    Her campaign said she had previous commitments to other events elsewhere in the state.

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    Mitchell Miller

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